THỪA THIÊN – HUẾ  Viet Nam News -–– Prime Minister Nguyễn Tấn Dũng has approved a project for widening the Phước Tượng and Phú Gia tunnels in the central province from two lanes to four lanes, an official said.

The project would be carried out with an investment of VNĐ1.3 trillion (US$57.8 million) under a BOT (build-operate-transfer) model, Hoàng Ngọc Khanh, chief of the Provincial People’s Committee Secretariat, said.

Located on National Highway 1A, about 3km from Hải Vân Tunnel to the north, Phước Tượng and Phú Gia tunnels were built in 2013 with an investment of more than VNĐ1.7 trillion ($75.6 million) and opened to traffic in December last year.

Phước Tượng Tunnel is 345m long, and its leading road stretches 3.46km, while Phú Gia Tunnel is 497m long, and its leading road’s length is about 2.47km.

Both tunnels are 12m wide, allowing vehicles to travel at a maximum speed of 80km per hour. The tunnels are designed to withstand earthquakes of magnitude 6 on the Richter scale.

Their leading roads were also built as per the standard of delta road level 3, with a speed limit of 80km per hour.

The tunnels have practical effectiveness, contributing to reducing travel time and eliminating “black pots” of road accidents on old roads that cross the passes, Đinh Khắc Đính, head of the provincial transport safety department, said.

However, the two-lane tunnels were not harmony with the four-lane National Highway 1A, and so it was necessary to widen the tunnels, he said.

The project, likely to start in May 2016, is expected to reduce distance and also link the economic development of the central provinces. –– VNS